Plans to vacinate whole of uk against swine flue

[Lindyloo]

Hi everybody

 

Just wondering how you r all feeling about the swine flu - I wasnt paying too much attention to it before.... as it seemed so far away... and i didnt want to freak myself out about it...

But its a little scarey now and just wondered will people with ms be recommended to get the Swine flu jab...

I have never had a flu jab as my doc said theres a chance it can aggravate ms symptoms/ relapse etc...My bosses wife has ms and her Neuro told her not to take it... but all Neuros say different..... What to do?

anyway just like to see how you all think about this.... you guys always know best!!

Keep groovy

Love Lindaxx

[gillshutt]

I don't think there's much to worry about at the moment. Swine flu (so far) is less harmful than ordinary flu although they do say it could mutate and will be worse come the Autumn.

 

If it does mutate then I'm not sure the jab will make any difference... not sure if it's capable of dealing with mutations. I know of a couple of people with fibro who have had it and it's apparently no worse than a bad cold.

 

 

 

Gill x

[Hezza]

Hi Lindyloo,

The MS Trust issued some guidance on this earlier this week so here's the link: MS & Swine Flu

 

Gill is right that Swine Flu is not thought to be worse than normal flu. However, as with normal flu and any illness with MS, if you catch it and you have MS then there is a chance that it will make your symptoms worse.

 

When I saw my Dr about my relapse he was concerned about me and Swine Flu - especially as there have been quite a few cases within schools in a few miles radius of my home. He asked me to be cautious, stay home and rest as much as possible during my relapse, and contact the surgery asap if my temp rose over 38 degrees.

Try not to panic too much hon. I just make sure that all my friends and family know that if they're sick with anything contagious it's better for them to stay away from me

[Heste]

Rather than wait for the "the powers that be" to make some announcement I decided to look at my own situation and see what I could do to reduce my risk.

 

Given that I work in London three days a week and that London is hot spot for swine flu I decided not to go out at lunchtime. I still have the risk of getting flu from my office colleagues but this is unavoidable. At least I am not going out and getting flu. My company are already employing a chap who walks round the office all day cleaning door handles, hand rails, etc. They also have hand cleaning stations next to every main door.

 

I avoid going to places where there are large numbers of people. I used to call in to Tesco on my way home to pick up a few items such as fresh veg and short shelf-life items. Now I don't.

 

These are minor precautions but they reduce the risk a little.

 

I do have the flu jab each year and would not refuse a swine flu jab if it was offered. My view being that while the swine flu may be only mild i would not want to pick it up and give it to my wife (asthmatic) or my brother-in-law (diabetic) as much as avoiding it for myself.

 

We don't need to go into hibination till its all over but there are some things we can do. I wasn't that keen on shopping anyway :-) and London is miserable to place to go out at lunchtime :-) so this is no hardship.

 

Regards,

 

John

[linds]

That is all great advice. Thankyou all. Just wish the swines that brought it to us hadn't.

 

Vaseline over nostrils and good luck to us all. LX

[Lindyloo]

Thanks everyone for your advice.... Thanks Cara for the infomation sheet...

 

Heres hoping we will all be swine flu free...

 

[lucky]

How would you feel about having the vacination? At risk illnesses first.

Do you think ms would be classed as a at risk catergary?

[Michelle]

I'm not sure. I was under the understanding that it would be health workers that would be vaccinated first...then folk with chronic illnesses.

 

 

Regards

 

Michelle

 

 

P.S I have merged this topic with the one already started. This way we can keep track of the discussion about swine flu in general.

[lucky]

whoops - what happened there - i thought i started this post as i never saw it before -its so funny did we cross.

[Michelle]

Hi Lucky,

 

There was another thread started in the 'Lounge' section on the subject of Swine Flu - so I merged the topics. Sorry if I caused you some confusion.

 

Regards

 

Michelle

[lucky]

i really thought i had lost it big time but found it funny. I do know I have a blind spot and often don't see small things. Anyhow glad I'm still sort of ok up there.

[Hezza]

How would you feel about having the vacination? At risk illnesses first.

Do you think ms would be classed as a at risk catergary?

 

Well I am offered, and accept, the Flu jab every year because of my MS and would have no hesitation in taking the Piggy Flu jab if offered too.

I suspect that different PCTs may have different views about the "at risk" populations but I'm pretty sure that I will be offered the vaccine by my surgery. I know my GP considers me to be at higher risk because he told me so. I think, from what I've seen reported, a vaccine is a few months away though.

[Shirl]

Like Cara, I'd have the jab as I have the flu jab happily each autumn - and my husband had his last year too as the carers/partners of persons with chronic illnesses are also entitled/advised to have the jab.

 

As for my feelings about swine flu...if I learned there was a mounting outbreak in my neighbourhood, I'd stay indoors. My PA has already agreed she'll stay away if she comes into contact with it. I would, however, draw the line at banning my own family if they'd been in contact with the disease. If they HAD it and lived with me, I would not move out. If they HAD it and lived elsewhere, I would not feel able to go and help hem but would ensure someone did all the necessary tasks such as fetching in food and prescriptions.

 

I think we make plans and stick with them unless given good reason to change.

 

Being scared can paralyse our reactions; being prepared can energise our actions.

[mayb]

Friends of friends in my village have swine flu and I can't help wondering if it might be better to catch it and get it over with!! It is supposed to be worse in the Autumn and some immunity must be had if you got it before I assume. I can't have flu jabs as they are cultured on eggs to which I react quite violently at times. I have a friend who works with old people and her daughter had swine flu. She was told to go to work as normal!! My husband works at an airport and in other crowded venues including hospitals adn hotels so there is no avoiding places/people for him. As he smokes I worry more about him than me really.

 

It is difficult to keep up with the changes but as I understand it you have to ring your GP or NHS direct for info if you think you have caught the flu and they will advise you. It is up to the GP to decide how bad he thinks you are affected and what to do about it. Then you are told to stay away from anybody for 5 days and an unaffected person has to collect any prescription for you. Tamiflu is cultured on egg I think but the new vaccines are being produced another way thank goodness - but they aren't ready yet. I expect they will produce them when it is all over.

 

Take care everyone and hope you all keep 'healthy'.

 

[Christina]

Hi Mayb

 

I thought it said on the news last night and in the press that the flu vaccines were being cultured on chickens eggs, I hope I'm wrong on that for your sake! It looks like folk will have to have 2 jabs this autumn too - one for swine flu and one for other strains!

 

Chris x

[Gaynor]

Something I read was that you can have it more than once as the virus mutates and then you can catch it again. So don't be in too much of a rush everyone to get it!

 

Gaynor

[mikeywhall]

Hiya,

 

I wouldn't worry too much about this swine flu but I do think the goverment should vaccinate as many people for swine flu because it could become a pandemic..

 

And most of the people that have died from swine flu had a serious underlying health condtion which does make me worry about it but if you do start with flu symptoms get streight to the doctors.

[Michelle]

It's been a strange old day for me today. I have found myself comforting my daughter whose hair is falling out,and then my next door neighbour grabs me to tell me her youngest daughter has swine flu - due to this the school she attends has been closed.

What was really upsetting for her was that some low life came up to her and ranted in her face, about how she was spreading the infection by being out. The poor thing was only buying some groceries,and now feels unable to cope. What a world we live in.

 

 

M x